Supplies and personnel are loaded aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., March 24, 2020. Comfort is preparing to deploy in support of the nation’s COVID-19 response efforts and will serve as a referral hospital for non-COVID-19 patients currently admitted to shore-based hospitals. This allows shore-based hospitals to focus their efforts on COVID-19 cases. US Navy photo.

THE PENTAGON – Hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) will leave for New York City on Saturday, with President Donald Trump and Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly on hand to see off the ship from Naval Station Norfolk, Va. Read More →

THE PENTAGON — The Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) will be routed to New York City to help alleviate non-COVID-19 medical needs, President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday. Read More →

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Expect the White House’s Fiscal Year 2021 defense funding request to include an unrealistic expectation for the Navy to build a 355-ship fleet, according to a panel of budget experts. Read More →

Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly is canceling review boards for three SEAL officers that could have stripped them of their special operations status, according to a late Wednesday statement provided to USNI News. Read More →

Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer speaks during an all-hands call onboard U.S. Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka on July 12, 2018. US Navy Photo

The secretary of defense asked Richard V. Spencer to step down as the Secretary of the Navy after Spencer proposed a deal to the White House that would guarantee Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Gallagher would retire as a SEAL, despite public statements affirming he would let the process dictate the outcome, according to a late Sunday Pentagon statement. Read More →

Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer addresses the crew of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) via the ship’s 1MC during a visit to the ship at sea on Oct. 27, 2019. US Navy Photo

This post has been updated with additional comments from the Navy and SECNAV Spencer.

Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer denied he threatened to resign his office over President Trump’s intervention into a Naval Special Warfare Command review board that could strip SEAL Chief Edward Gallagher of his Naval Special Warfare rating. Read More →

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The secretary of the Navy said a congressional cost cap on the first Ford-class aircraft carrier led to bad decisions that are reverberating today, and he hopes smarter discussions around cost, risk and requirements will be had for future ship classes such as the upcoming frigate program. Read More →